The Beginning To The End Of Loneliness
by The Dam Chosen One
Summary: Remus struggles each month to get through the full moon alone. Meanwhile James enters the Great Hall at breakfast with something big obviously on his mind. Can the boys find out what it is? And what does it have to do with Remus? 5th year marauders fic, rated for very light language


The Great Hall was filled with chatter as students slowly made their way in for breakfast. Sirius strolled through the doors, aiming for his usual spot at the Gryffindor table. He walked with a calm air, in a way one might even call cool. But then again, this was Sirius Black. He was well known throughout the school for not only flirting with both Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, but also finding any and every way to horrify his pure blood parents. The antics of the Black family against those who did not fit their mold was well known. Needless to say, Sirius Black had a reputation.

Said student's eyebrows shot up as he sat down across from Remus, who was nursing a cup of tea and trying not to fall asleep. Remus was typically one of the last of the fifth-year boys to make it downstairs, notorious for sleeping in. That is of course ignoring Peter- he was always without a doubt the last one up.

"Rough night mate?" Sirius asked as he grabbed a slice of toast. He knew the full moon would be coming up the next weekend and was well aware of how tiring and difficult the week before was for his friend. Remus, the calmest and most mature of the group of friends, was harboring a secret that only his closest friends knew. He was a werewolf and lived in constant fear (only ever eased by James and Sirius's banter) that the other students would find out or be in danger. He would never say it out loud to his friends, but his time during the full moon was always the worst for him- he was always lonely and the wolf inside him would often turn to itself to satisfy it. Little did he know, his friends were well aware. That being said, his reason for being tired today went past his lovely relation to the moon cycle.

"Yeah I've had better. Doesn't help that _some_ body decided to stay up all night with James," Remus responded with a hard glare towards Sirius, who had the brains enough to look sheepish as he took a bite of his buttered toast.

"Ugh sorry Rem we, ah..." Sirius trailed off as he stared transfixed at a point above Remus's shoulder. Confusion clouded his face. Remus, seeing Sirius's obvious distraction, looked behind him, raising his eyebrows at the sight before them. For in marched James right towards them, looking to all the world like a man on a mission.

"Well I was about to ask you where James was but it seems he found us first," Remus said turning back in his seat. James finally reached their table, sitting down in his seat with obvious excitement. Sirius stared at him for a minute, but upon realizing that James was, in fact, _not_ going to tell them what the hell he was so excited about, he resumed eating. ' _Probably just something about Lily as usual'_ he thought. James continued his jumpiness while Sirius ate and Remus drank his tea, occasionally reaching across to steal the bacon off their plates.

Sirius sighed and put his fork down, turning to James. "Are you going to say something or just continue to act like an idiot and steal my food - stop that!" He slapped James hand which had once again strayed to his plate.

"Huh?" James turned to look at him, as if he had been startled out of thinking.

"I asked if you had anything on your mind. You know, something you may have wanted to share with us?" Sirius rolled his eyes. "You looked *** determined when you were walking in."

James responded with a slight smile. "Oh, it's just something I was thinking about for later."

"Fine, whatever," an exasperated Sirius said, throwing his hands up. "I tried." He pointed his fork to Remus. "Don't blame me later when this comes exploding out of him." Remus let out a light chuckle.

James (now back to the land of the living thanks to Sirius), upon inspecting his friend closer and seeing the ragged face and dark circles on Remus's face, leaned across the table to him. "You doing alright Rem? I know your favorite time of the month is only a few days away..."

Remus tolled his eyes at his friends' sad attempt at making light of his terrible situation. "I'm fine James. Would have been better if someone learned to shut up at night but it seems that's a lesson you'll never learn. Least not while Sirius is around," the joking tone apparent in his voice.

"Sorry Remus, we try. You know you could always join us instead." James shared a knowing smile with Sirius, knowing full well what his sometimes-furry friend's response would be.

"Nice try James but some of us actually value and need our sleep, unlike you and your endless supply of energy. Speaking of which I could really use some of that right about now," Remus finished with a yawn.

James laughed. "You know I would give it to you if I could."

"You always say that I have trouble believing it. Whatever would you do if you couldn't stay up for ungodly hours and wake up at the crack of dawn with no consequences?"

Sirius laughed then turned to James. "Yeah speaking of crack of dawn, where the hell were you this morning? I woke up and you were already gone, which is weird even for you."

"I'm going to pretend that wasn't a total insult," James responded, even as he grew more serious.

Realizing his friend was still not going to spill without some push, Remus leaned closer. "Seriously, what-"

"No stupid, I'm Sirius, that's James," Sirius remarked while pointing. Remus glared at him, communicating exactly what he thought about that completely overused joke with his eyes. "Not the time, got it," Sirius recounted.

"It's never the time for that joke, it's terrible," Remus countered. Sirius gasped, placing a hand on his heart, always the drama queen. "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," Remus continued, leaning in again. "What exactly is going on with you James?" Sirius looked over expectantly, also curious to what had happened.

James looked into both of his friends faces, judging the merits and possibly of living to see another day if he just got up and ran from the hall to avoid their questions. Seeing their unamused faces and knowing full well he would die trying to get away from them, he sighed. "I came up with an amazing idea, but I wanted to research it a little before I brought it to you."

Remus's eyebrows shot into his hairline. "James, _the_ James Potter, renounced trouble maker and prankster extraordinaire, researching something on his own without threat of torture, and getting up early to do so? Oh Merlin it's the end of the world, it's happening."

"Oi! I can look up something if it interests me. It's not my fault that exactly zero school work is interesting. And I don't recall you being so innocent, Mr. I'm so much better even though I do more pranks then James but get them all blamed on him."

"Yeah that's because I have class. And a brain," Remus responded, lifting his cup to his lips.

"whAT?" James half stood out of this seat, geared up for a full count of playful accusations.

"We kid James," Sirius interjected, pulling James back into the seat next to him. He was well aware he and Remus could go at it for years if they weren't stopped. "But really, what got you out of your bed in the wee hours of the morning?"

"It's nothing big..." James countered. Remus and Sirius both scoffed, knowing fully well that there was no such thing as a small idea when it comes to James. "It's just I may have found a solution for dear old Rem's lonely nights," he finished with a grin.

"What?" both Remus and Sirius questioned. "That's impossible," Remus continued, eyebrows drawn.

James looked at his friends, and focused his gaze on Remus. "It's not. We're going to become Animagi."

They stared at him shocked and continued to do so as Peter joined them at the table. He looked around at the other three members of the marauders, seeing the two's shocked faces and James ecstatic one.

"What did I miss?"

 **AN: Well there is my first try at a lighter story. I'm not sure if I'm getting the dialogue flow correct, it's a working process. I'm considering expanding this into a longer fic following the boys working through the process, if that's something you would like let me know! Please review! Friendly criticisms welcome. Thanks for reading! :) - dam chosen one**


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